The first thing I always check is my guitar player's bass and mid knobs. Ordinarily he only touches the gain and volume knobs because he knows he doesn't know **** about EQing for a mix and he knows I do. Sometimes though he obviously has been playing by himself and I have to turn them down again.
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Getting a really punchy treble sound
- Thread starter Lex Slade
- Start date
The first thing I always check is my guitar player's bass and mid knobs. Ordinarily he only touches the gain and volume knobs because he knows he doesn't know **** about EQing for a mix and he knows I do. Sometimes though he obviously has been playing by himself and I have to turn them down again.
thx for the advice.
but, my GK doesn't have a presence knob and Ampeg 810 doesn't have a tweeter
thx for the advice.
but, my GK doesn't have a presence knob and Ampeg 810 doesn't have a tweeter
Got'cthya. I'll be the first to admit I don't know the older model RB heads. At all. Isn't the ampeg fridge known for its crisp yet darker sound or am I totally off?
I believe the Ampeg had at least one co-axial speaker up top to handle the highs. It was a way to solve the "clanky/clicky" horn that some people complain about w/out losing the highs all together.
actually, my head is GK Fusion 550, not RB.
And its a relatively new GK model;-)
I don't have problems with my Ampeg cab, but I think I should be able to get much better sound from my GK then the one I currently do...
If Ampeg ever did this I haven't seen it. Most every Ampeg 8-10 I have seen is just 8 10" drivers. No crossover. No tweeter. I know Bagend made some 4x10 cabs with one coaxial driver. I think some other guys like Schroeder have made similar cabs as well.
A friend of mine owns an Ampeg 810 with (at least) one co-axial driver up top. Whether it came that way or that was his doing I don't know.
Welp, I found the weak link in my sound - It was ABSOLUTELY the strings. A friend hooked me up with a pack of Ernie Ball Stainless Steel Slinkies and I'm getting the exact sound I want.
I had no idea how dead my old strings were until now. Even with a lot of high end on the amp the old strings still sounded really bassy and warm. But these new strings are really punchy and are giving me the exact sound I was hearing in my head. I was also told that stainless steel strings last longer, so hopefully this set will still be crisp at the next band practice a couple weeks from now.
I had no idea how dead my old strings were until now. Even with a lot of high end on the amp the old strings still sounded really bassy and warm. But these new strings are really punchy and are giving me the exact sound I was hearing in my head. I was also told that stainless steel strings last longer, so hopefully this set will still be crisp at the next band practice a couple weeks from now.
Nice! The amount of time they last depends on your playing style and how much your hands sweat. Wipe them down after playing every time. You can boil them or soak them in denatured alcohol to rejuvenate them a few times too if you want.
It shocks me whenever I pick up someone else's instrument and the strings are all rusted to death and they don't know or care. But I'm a little more OCD than average about guitar maintenance I guess.
Yeah, I'm a notorious rusty string user. It's usually not until someone picks up a guitar of mine and points out how bad the strings are that I realize it. I'll keep them wiped down and maybe put it away until next practice so that it keeps the punch for as long as possible.
Yep, strings make a huge difference in tone. Even between brand new sets, a DR sounds different than a D'Addarrio, which sounds different than Dean Markley...and so on. I'm a big advocate of trying to get a good amount of "your" sound through strings. Especially if you're happy with your bass and have a decent rig.
EB's only ever lasted me about a month or so.
EB's only ever lasted me about a month or so.
I was a Rotosound user for years. I like bright. Over the years I tried dozens of different sets. Of all I've used, Dean Markley SR2000's have been the brightest, clangiest,longest lasting strings. I've been using Pro Steels for a while, but will go back to SR2000's next change. Very different strings.
Yep, new strings sound great and old worn out strings will def sound more mellow. I change mine every few months. Once you start playing a lot or have some cash, get a great amp and speaker, it can change the way you play and sound.
yup!
OP, head over to the guitar amps and turn down their bass knobs! They likely jacked 'em up in an effort to get a "full band" sound, but don't realize that the low end is your area and when everyone is respectful of each others frequency range, then the band will sound full and huge!
+1 on this. If your guitarist insists on laying on the low and high end, you take the kids and cut the mix in half!
I had a friend who I used to jam with often. After a while, he just started having me set his amps EQ, because he never could seem to dial in a tone that he not only liked, but also worked well with my bass tone. I think it's pretty unfortunate that more guitar players aren't conscious of how their tone will sound alongside the bass. Then again, same could be said for bass players, I suppose.
I also found my tonal bliss in the Ernie Ball Super Slinkies....my favourite string I have ever tried! It's a good thing they're cheap, because they sure don't last long.
I also found my tonal bliss in the Ernie Ball Super Slinkies....my favourite string I have ever tried! It's a good thing they're cheap, because they sure don't last long.
Everything seems to be covered well
in general over boosting the bass knob or over boosting the treble knob, can muddy up a mix or get to clanky.
After a few years of playing you start to fall in love with the "plugged straight into the board sound" The electric bass with good pickups and new strings sounds just fine...EQ seems like a selling point from the start either 3 band or 12 band etc.
seems to just add more confusion and mudd to the mix.
A decent set of pickups to me just adds more richness and string tone, and bright new strings should add that extra brightness needed by some.
Plug straight in with a basic flat settings, and let the sound of the bass ring through. Adding more midrange might sound funny when solo but it adds more when in a band mix.
Much better than the common mistake of boosting the heck out of the bass and boosting the treble. Solo or practice that deep bright sound might sound great. But in a band mix at high level just eats speakers and amp power, and just increases string and fret clank in a mix.
Tone is in hands and picking style, making natural string harmonics clear and more audible is in the pickups , and "bright" tone just comes natural from new strings. Flat and straight in.
P bass or Jazz ...so so simple
in general over boosting the bass knob or over boosting the treble knob, can muddy up a mix or get to clanky.
After a few years of playing you start to fall in love with the "plugged straight into the board sound" The electric bass with good pickups and new strings sounds just fine...EQ seems like a selling point from the start either 3 band or 12 band etc.
seems to just add more confusion and mudd to the mix.
A decent set of pickups to me just adds more richness and string tone, and bright new strings should add that extra brightness needed by some.
Plug straight in with a basic flat settings, and let the sound of the bass ring through. Adding more midrange might sound funny when solo but it adds more when in a band mix.
Much better than the common mistake of boosting the heck out of the bass and boosting the treble. Solo or practice that deep bright sound might sound great. But in a band mix at high level just eats speakers and amp power, and just increases string and fret clank in a mix.
Tone is in hands and picking style, making natural string harmonics clear and more audible is in the pickups , and "bright" tone just comes natural from new strings. Flat and straight in.
P bass or Jazz ...so so simple
So if you aren't getting a sound you like, you should leave the knobs glued to the middle position? Forget that! I turn 'em till it sounds good, and I couldn't care less where they end up as long as I get the sound I like.
Just to add a little counterpoint before nappy time
Just to add a little counterpoint before nappy time
